Louisiana Ten Commandments law/ federal judge blocks/ unconstitutional ruling/ First Amendment/ religious displays in schools/ church-state separation/ Louisiana classroom law/ Newslooks/ BATON ROUGE/ LA./ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ A federal judge has blocked Louisiana’s law mandating Ten Commandments displays in public classrooms, deeming it unconstitutional. The judge ruled that the law promotes religion, violating the First Amendment. Louisiana officials plan to appeal, maintaining the displays hold historical significance.
Louisiana Ten Commandments Law Blocked Quick Look
- Court Decision: Judge ruled Louisiana’s Ten Commandments classroom law as unconstitutional.
- First Amendment Issue: Law violates the separation of church and state, with religious displays viewed as coercive.
- State’s Argument: Supporters claim the Ten Commandments have historical relevance to U.S. law.
- Plaintiff Concerns: Parents argue the law isolates non-Christian students.
- Next Steps: Louisiana officials intend to appeal the decision, stating they disagree with the ruling.
Judge Blocks Louisiana’s Ten Commandments Display Law in Classrooms
Deep Look
A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction against Louisiana’s new law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in all public K-12 and university classrooms, arguing it violates constitutional protections of religious freedom. U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles in Baton Rouge described the law as “unconstitutional on its face” due to its “overtly religious” intent, ruling that it coerces students toward a specific religious view, thereby infringing upon the First Amendment.
The law, which was set to go into effect by January 1, would require large, framed posters displaying the Ten Commandments in every classroom, with each poster accompanied by a four-paragraph “context statement” asserting the historical role of the Ten Commandments in American public education. However, the judge emphasized that the law promotes religion rather than history, noting that it does not require posting any other foundational documents, such as the U.S. Constitution or the Bill of Rights, alongside the Ten Commandments.
Louisiana Attorney General Elizabeth Murrill and Governor Jeff Landry, both Republicans, expressed disappointment in the ruling and stated their intent to appeal. Murrill argued the law was intended to highlight the Ten Commandments’ historical impact on the U.S. legal system, a view echoed by proponents. “We strongly disagree with the court’s decision and will immediately appeal,” Murrill said in a statement.
The plaintiffs, a group of Louisiana parents, contended that mandating the display of the Ten Commandments isolates non-Christian students and violates the separation of church and state. Judge deGravelles agreed, noting the mandatory nature of school attendance and the potential coercion such displays could impose on students of diverse religious backgrounds. He emphasized that parents are legally required to send their children to school for at least 177 days a year, where students would repeatedly encounter the displays.
Louisiana’s law, passed by the GOP-dominated Legislature, aligns with similar efforts in other conservative states to integrate religious elements into public education. The legislation has drawn national attention, even garnering support from prominent Republicans, including President-elect Donald Trump. This law is one of several recent efforts by conservative lawmakers to increase religious presence in public schools, from legislation in Florida enabling school chaplains to counsel students, to an Oklahoma directive to integrate the Bible into public school curricula.
Attempts to enforce classroom displays of the Ten Commandments have met resistance in other states, including Texas, Oklahoma, and Utah. Many of these bills stalled due to legal challenges over their constitutionality. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1980 that a similar Kentucky law was unconstitutional, finding it had “no secular purpose,” as it clearly aimed to promote a religious viewpoint, thereby violating the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause.
If it were to proceed, Louisiana’s law would require tens of thousands of classrooms to display posters at least 11 inches by 14 inches, with the Ten Commandments printed in a large, easily readable font as the main focus. The measure specifies that schools can acquire the displays through donations, rather than public funding, which proponents argued would reduce taxpayer burden. However, Judge deGravelles’ ruling has currently halted these plans, pending further court review.
As Louisiana prepares to appeal, the case reflects ongoing national debates over the balance between historical representation and religious neutrality in public schools. Proponents argue that such displays honor the historical influence of religious principles on American law, while opponents maintain that the mandatory display of religious texts in public education crosses a line, imposing specific religious beliefs in public spaces intended to serve students of all backgrounds.